[VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
Sanika: as the New Year kicks off, the AustinBlu Foundation is looking to get even more involved in the community. They’ve already had tremendous success here at the river center in Jupiter as they funded boating safely classes. It’s a question Carly Black and Blu Stephanos hear often.
Carly Black: Every day.
Sanika: Really?
Blu Stephanos: I don’t know, she’s more huggable than me.
Carly Black: And I’m not, that’s the scary thing.
Sanika: It’s been 18 months since their son, Austin, disappeared while on a fishing trip with his friend, Perry Cohen.
Albrey Arrington (Exec. Dir. Loxahatchee River District): Their response isn’t, oh it’s so terribly for us. Their response has been, how can we turn this into a positive?
Sanika: Both the AustinBlu Foundation and the Perry j. Cohen Foundation are now raising awareness for safe boating, even funding boating safely classes.
Greg Barth (Flotilla 52 Commander): In 2015, we taught about 60students. That’s just this flotilla, and we went to 370 in 2016.
Sanika: Numbers they credit with the legacy left behind by Austin and Perry.
Greg Barth: If i bring them up in class, everything quiets down, still.
Sanika: classes are held once a month at the river center in Jupiter. it’s one of the only places locally where you can get your boating safely card after just one eight-hour day instead of multiple shorter day.
Albrey Arrington: My daughter, who is very experienced, came home from the boater safety class and listed off the things that she hadn’t known before.
Sanika: Blu Stephanos, who’s already been pushing for boater safety legislation, is hoping to focus his attention on the Bahamas this year.
Blu Stephanos: Traveling to the islands and being prepared, you do lose communication. Being able to correlate the connection between the U.S. and the Bahamas is just a better chance for both countries to work together to save lives and make a difference.
Sanika: That legislation is still in its early phases. In the meantime, these are the dates of upcoming boating safely classes funded by the AustinBlu Foundation. And here are the dates of upcoming boating safely classes funded by the Perry J. Cohen foundation. Though recommended for ages 12and up, the coast guard says they welcome any aged children mature enough for the class.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE, The parents are doing what they can to raise awareness about boating safety.
